Lior Ron

Lior Ron is a technology builder whose work applies AI to maps, freight logistics and autonomous trucks. In Israel, he learned to program and developed a neural network for Parkinson’s patients as his Technion master’s thesis; he later helped Google Maps grow beyond a billion users. He launched Moto X and Moto 360, co-founded Otto, and developed AI logistics tools at Uber Freight. He joined Waabi as COO in August 2025. In October 2026, he is Waabi’s COO as the company and Warrior Logistics move routine autonomous freight along the Dallas–Houston corridor.

Now at: Waabi
Born: 1977
Badges: Founder

Years link to their sources.

Timeline

1980s

Programming in Israel

Growing up in Israel in the 1980s, he learns to program as personal computers spread. As a teenager, he takes classes at Technion and puts AI models into games such as checkers and backgammon.
By 2007

A neural network for Parkinson’s

At Technion, he studies neural networks and writes papers on scaling them. His master’s thesis develops a neural network that mimics visual processing and helps Parkinson’s patients walk; it becomes his first startup after Andy Grove backs its commercialization. Before joining Google, he serves as chief technology officer for Israeli Army Intelligence.
2007

Product lead for Google Maps

He joins Google as product lead for Maps in 2007. He uses AI to combine information about places and helps scale the service to more than a billion users.
2011

Moto X and Moto 360

After Google acquires Motorola in 2011, he becomes the first Google employee recruited to transform its products. He launches the Moto X and Moto 360 product lines.
2016

Co-founding Otto

In 2016, he co-founds Otto, a self-driving truck company that Uber acquires in 2016.
May 2019–December 2023

Digitizing freight at Uber

By May 2019, he leads Uber Freight, which connects shippers and trucking companies across the United States and Europe. At his May 2019 Northwestern lecture, he describes digitizing logistics and says self-driving trucks may handle long-haul routes. In December 2023, he describes Insights AI as Uber Freight’s first step toward data-informed decisions and says its connected network can train generative AI models to optimize logistics.
May 2025

An AI logistics network

In May 2025, Uber Freight launches a logistics AI network with a logistics-specific large language model, Insights AI recommendations and more than 30 agents that automate tasks across the shipment lifecycle; Ron is the company’s founder and CEO.
Since August 2025

COO at Waabi

In August 2025, he joins Waabi as COO to shape its go-to-market strategy and expand partnerships, while staying on as Uber Freight’s chairman. In October 2026, he is Waabi’s COO as the company and Warrior Logistics announce routine autonomous freight deliveries along the Dallas–Houston corridor.